[November
05, 2012]
(ARA) -- When the weather cools, do your cravings turn toward
peppermint? Or perhaps the approaching holidays are priming your
palate for pumpkin and gingerbread. Some flavors and ingredients
just seem to go naturally with the season. While time-honored
culinary traditions will always have a place in our seasonal
celebrations, mix things up this year by using familiar ingredients
in non-traditional ways.

From snack foods to main dishes, a variety of ingredients can
lend themselves to culinary exploration this holiday season. Here
are a few ideas to help you get creative with well-loved traditional
ingredients:

Not just for snacking

Sure, you've heard of replacing bread crumbs with crumbled
crackers in holiday recipes, but did you know pretzels can punch up
a variety of seasonal dishes? From pumpkin muffins that get a savory
spike from Snyder's of Hanover Sourdough Pretzels to savory turkey
stuffing, pretzels can add flavor and interest far beyond the snack
bowl. Pretzels make a great ingredient not only for their familiar,
appealing flavor, but also because they're naturally low in fat and
calories. Snyder's offers more than three dozen shapes and flavors,
convenient 100-calorie packs, lower sodium content, and even
gluten-free options. You can find a plethora of ideas and recipes
online at
www.snydersofhanover.com.

Sprouting creativity

Few foods shout “fall” and “holidays” as clearly as pumpkin.
Whether perched on your front step as a jack o' lantern or gracing
your holiday buffet in pies and muffins, pumpkin is a quintessential
ingredient of the season. But when it comes time to incorporate
pumpkin in your holiday meal-planning, it pays to look beyond the
pie plate. Pumpkin can serve as a basis for appetizers, sides and
main dishes. From soups to pasta, casseroles to omelets, pumpkin is
a nutrient-rich, flavorful ingredient.

Cavorting with candy

Candy corn to candy canes, candy treats make the final months of
the year that much sweeter. Peppermint is, of course, to the
holidays as elves are to Santa, but don't imagine that this
versatile mint flavoring is only appropriate in candies and pricey
coffee shop mochas. Paired with garlic, fresh peppermint leaves add
zing to pastas. Mystified as to what to do with leftover Halloween
candy corn or candy pumpkins? Try adding them to your s'mores. What
would holiday baking be without chocolate? But Americans'
second-favorite flavor can also pop up in main dishes, like chili,
sloppy joes, chicken and salmon.

Apples are a favorite fall harvest fruit, and what better way to
make them the start of fall celebrations than by putting some on a
stick and dipping them in caramel? Yet neither ingredient -- apples
or caramel -- need be limited to the realm of sticky treats. In
addition to apple pie, popovers and cake, you may have experienced
apple in stuffing. Yet apples play well with a host of other
flavors, including main dish staples of the holidays, like turkey,
pork, chicken and even beef.

Caramelization as a cooking process turns veggies like carrots
and sweet potatoes into yummy side dishes. But caramel can also
enhance main dishes, like pork chops, cod or chicken.

Thanks to the Internet, it's easier than ever to find fresh,
unconventional ways to use favorite holiday flavors and ingredients.
Try this savory recipe from Snyder's of Hanover for Pretzel
Stuffing:

Pretzel Stuffing

Ingredients:

1 6-ounce package of long grain or wild rice, prepared
according to package directions

Combine all ingredients in a very large bowl and fill chicken or
turkey cavity. Place remaining stuffing in a casserole dish, add
chicken broth and baste with pan drippings or chicken broth. Cover
with foil and place in oven for one hour. Remove cover 10 to 15
minutes before end of cooking time to create crispy texture.